VU Trailblazer Golf ties for third place at VU Invitational over weekend

September 16, 2013

Jackson Cowden grabs share of fourth, individually

MONTGOMERY – The Vincennes University Golf Team finished in a tie for third place over the weekend at the Vincennes University Invitational at Country Oaks Golf Course in Montgomery. Individually, sophomore Jackson Cowden finished in a tie for fourth low medalist honors with a total score of 150.

Cincinnati State Green won the event’s team championship with a two-round score of 604. Kaskaskia was second after carding a 610. The Trailblazers and Rose-Hulman finished tied for third with 620.

Individual medalist honors went to Kaskaskia’s Parker Lawrence, who turned in rounds of 69 and 72 for a total score of 141.

VU finished the first day of play in the running for the invitational crown. The Trailblazers’ first round 304 left them six shots off the pace of the Cincinnati State Green Team, which led throughout the weekend, and only one shot behind the second place Kaskaskia and Miami of Hamilton when the teams went to the clubhouse.

VU Coach Dennis Chattin assessed his team’s second day performance with some disappointment, but quickly added that the Trailblazers are a lot like last season’s NJCAA Div. III National Champion squad and could be following the same arc of performance throughout the fall and upcoming spring.

“I’m disappointed that we didn’t play better in our own invitational – especially in the second round,” he said of VU’s 316 on Day 2. “We’re definitely capable of better scores. Jackson Cowden’s one-under 71 (Sunday) was a great round.

“Maybe, we were just not mentally tough enough yet,” Chattin added. “I’ll say it again…the skill level is there because we have a core group of guys back from last year. That team steadily got better and I look for this team to do the same. I don’t know if we wanted it too much today or we just didn’t work hard enough (from a mental toughness standpoint).”

The post-tournament outlook was somewhat different from VU’s Day 1 prospects. Chattin was optimistic Saturday night about his team’s chances to claim its own invitational but he also wondered about the affects the Day 2 pressure might have on the Trailblazers.

“I was pleased with our effort, but we had opportunities to be in the lead,” Chattin said Saturday night after Round 1. “We got off to a poor start but battled all day long. We are certainly in it with only a few shots difference in the top four teams. It should be interesting to see what we can do under this pressure.”

Chattin added that VU didn’t enjoy a top-flight round by any of its golfers on Day 1 and remained in the hunt, and freshman Austin Leonard and sophomore Tyler Sloan showed flashes the first day of being able to claim individual honors.

“Austin had a really nice round with a 74 to be tied for fifth and Tyler did well with the 75, and they can make a run at the title tomorrow,” Chattin said after Saturday’s play. “We just need everyone to play a little better (Sunday) to get the job done.”